1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more particularly to a heat exchanger having an air filtering or drying structure or device, for filtering or removing or collecting water, or for water condensing purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical heat exchangers comprise a receptacle including a chamber formed therein for receiving a heat medium, such as water or fluid, and an inlet and an outlet provided therein for allowing the heat medium or water or fluid to flow into and out of the chamber of the receptacle. The receptacle further includes a number of axially and/or laterally extended tubes disposed therein, and arranged to allow ambient air to flow into and out of the tubes, and thus to allow the water or fluid and the ambient air to be heat exchanged indirectly within the chamber of the receptacle.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,022 to Polyak, Jr. discloses one of the typical heat exchangers which also comprises a cylindrical receptacle including a chamber formed therein for receiving a heated fluid, and including an inlet and an outlet provided therein for allowing the heated fluid to flow into and out of the chamber of the receptacle. The receptacle also includes a number of laterally and/or axially-extending tubes disposed therein, and arranged to allow ambient air to flow or to be pumped or cycled through the tubes, and thus to allow the water or fluid and the ambient air to be heat exchanged indirectly within the chamber of the receptacle.
Normally, the ambient air may include water or fluid contained therein, and the water or fluid contained within the ambient air may be condensed while or after the heat exchanging operation. For filtering or removing the water or fluid from the ambient air, an additional air drying device or apparatus is required to be provided and coupled to the cylindrical receptacle, or to the tubes.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional heat exchangers.